Table of contentsInnate ideas DefinitionDescartes' view on innate ideas in human natureLocke's view on innate ideas in human natureComparison critique of the philosophy of Descartes and Locke on innate ideasConclusionPhilosophers over the years have written and evaluated many topics in philosophy. Sometimes these scholars concede their ideas and sometimes disagree with each other. Two researchers had distinct ideas about where innate ideas come from and how we get these kinds of ideas. Notably, these two philosophers who had an opposing argument about the origin of innate ideas were René Descartes and John Locke (Brandhorst, 2010, p. 56). Descartes based his perspectives in the Meditations on Early Philosophy, while Locke based his in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Using these sources, the article seeks to offer a critical comparison of the two authors' theories on innate ideas. In this case, the article explores the similarities and differences between the philosophies of Locke and Descartes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Innate Ideas Definition Innate ideas are ideas believed to be innate in the human brain, as opposed to ideas received or acquired through experience (Tooby & Barrett, 2005, p. 23). The principle according to which certain ideas, for example those of infinity, of God, as well as of a substance, can be considered innate since there is no satisfactory experimental origin for them. The theory of innate ideas flourished in the 17th century, and it was stated by Descartes. Descartes' View of Innate Ideas in Human Nature René Descartes was the champion of the convention of innate ideas. Descartes and other delegates focused on the theory of innate ideas implanted in the human brain by God during childbirth. Besides scientific standards and simple thoughts, the fundamental innate idea as stated by Descartes was the idea of ​​the existence of God, a thought which could not be obtained through experience. Therefore, Descartes hypothesized that information about God is innate to everyone due to the faith and belief we have toward God (Brandhorst, 2010, p. 44). Despite the fact that there are apparent variations between individuals due to social, cultural and economic impacts, innate ideas are said to have a significant impact on human life. Descartes' epistemology is based on his view that everyone is born with innate ideas. . It assumes that all we can know is that our mind exists. He asserts that our ideas cannot be false, only judgments. Descartes expands his proof of the existence of God in Meditation 3, part 22. He says that all effects are inferior to the cause from which they arise. Descartes already has the idea of ​​God and that God is perfect. Descartes is not perfect. It is therefore necessary that the cause of the idea of ​​God be perfect, which is God, and cannot come from him. Furthermore, the idea of ​​God cannot be incorrect because ideas cannot be incorrect. René Descartes was a mathematician and to a large extent a brilliant man. The idea of ​​God played an important role in establishing his theory. Furthermore, by contrasting ideas, Descartes attacks the thought of God and asks where innate ideas come from. In this case, Descartes concludes that we must agree on two things. The first is that something cannot come from nothing. He understands that God is a perfect being and that to have the idea that God exists,some thoughts need to be considered. In fact, to develop his theory, Descartes asks where thoughts come from. He concludes that ideas do not come from the world of imagination since the world contains material elements and perfection does not exist either. Furthermore, Descartes illustrates that God cannot be envisaged since no one can make the world perfect like God. In this case, he concludes by saying that he did not create the idea of ​​God, but that this idea was engraved in him. Locke's view on innate ideas in human nature Various philosophers, notably the British empiricists, have denied the presence of innate ideas. Locke was one of those scholars who disagreed with the theory and claimed that all human knowledge was established through experience rather than as Descartes claimed. In his book “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, John Locke fights against innate ideas using various arguments. Pragmatists believed that true knowledge came from experience and philosophers, for example Descartes, believed in the presence of ideas and information at birth (Locke and Yolton, 1974, p. 78). Unlike Descartes, John Locke believed that all acquired knowledge begins with experiences in life. The first proposition that Locke puts forward to counter Descartes' assertion is that he says that there is no generalized consensus. In this case, he believes that for there to be a presence of innate ideas; there would be ideas that everyone would agree on, but that is not the case (Locke & Yolton, 1974, p. 67). He states that "there is no thought that all men have, nor ideas that everyone recognizes." His second proposition says that children have no ideas that they share, so this means that no ideas are born with them. Critical Comparison of Descartes and Locke's Philosophy on Innate Ideas The central distinction between Descartes and Locke is that Descartes holds that ideas are acquired at birth while Locke believes that ideas arise only through experience. From then on, Descartes strives to recover from the fundamental principle the thought of the existence of God. On the other hand, Locke states that we obtain ideas through sensation, direct experience of the external world, as well as through reflection on impressions to develop new thoughts. Locke rejects the presence of any innate idea, basing his arguments on two grounds. He states that there are no innate ideas since if they existed, children could be born with consciousness (Newman, 2009, p. 73). Locke also states that if a thought is innate, then the idea of ​​God's existence is also innate. However, since there is no universal belief in the existence of God, God's thinking cannot be called innate. Notably, Locke clarifies that there are no innate thoughts in the human brain, but rather that the brain is a white paper emptied of all idealess characters. It is through experience that the human brain acquires knowledge and new ideas. Descartes states that innate ideas are an existence on which he based his idea on the thought that man perceives the existence of God. Unlike Descartes, Locke argues that human beings are not built to know everything, but rather are designed with enough crucial information to allow us to avoid problems. This statement briefly describes his belief that humans develop ideas from experiences seen through the individual part of life and not through an imaginable response. Through the process of human development, Locke believes that ideas acquired through experience, which are then accessible in the human brain in the form of.